Youth
Congress bid on CM’s strongholdDanoda, (Jind), January 6Indian National Youth Congress
President Randeep Singh Surjewala today organised a ‘pagri bachao’
rally at the place of the Binain khap located in this dusty hamlet of
the Narwana Assembly segment.

Rally
to serve as launching pad: HoodaChandigarh, January 5The Leader of the Opposition in
the Haryana Assembly, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, said here today that
tomorrow’s “Hisab Chukao” rally at Kurukshetra would be the
launching pad for the party’s campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.
The rally, being organised by former Haryana Youth Congress President,
Nirmal Singh, would focus on the misdeeds of the Chautala Government.

Immigrants
give tough time to intelligence agenciesPanipat, January 6In spite of repeated warnings by
the intelligence agencies to the state and Centre about the threats
posed to the national security by the presence of the illegal
immigrant Bangladeshis in the city, thousands of Bangladeshis continue
to work illegally in handloom factories here.

Housing
complexes to be built in SafidonJind/Safidon, January 6The Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr
Om Prakash Chautala, has asked the district heads of all departments
to check the functioning of rural schools regularly when they tour
villages and to file a written report to the district administration
accordingly.

HPSC
violated rules: DalalChandigarh, January 6RPI legislator Karan Singh Dalal
alleged here today that the Haryana Public Service Commission had
committed several irregularities in the HCS(Executive) and allied
services examinations, the result of which was announced last week.

Ekta
Shakti to hold summary trials of corruptChandigarh, January 6The Ekta Shakti, a newly formed
party which alleges that successive governments had discriminated
against northern Haryana, would hold “summary trials” of corrupt
politicians, if it came to power.

School
board to start exam scanning systemBhiwani, January 6The Haryana Board of School
Education has decided to start innovative scanning system for the
annual examinations this year in order to check cases of impersonation
and other irregularities.

Stories from Haryana towns falling in the
National Capital Region are put in NCR Tribune.

A child enjoys an ice-cream on
a bright and sunny morning in Ambala on Tuesday. — Photo by
Neeraj Chopra

Ashok
Aggarwal to be Haryana A-GChandigarh, January 6Mr Ashok Aggarwal, a senior
advocate of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, will succeed Mr
Suryakanta Sharma as the Advocate-General (AG) of Haryana. The
official proposal for the appointment of Mr Aggarwal as the AG was
cleared by Raj Bhavan yesterday.

Education
board to set up control roomsBhiwani, January 6To keep vigil over the
examination centres, the Haryana School Education Board will set up
five control rooms in the state during the middle, matriculation and
senior secondary annual examinations, 2004.

School
board to start exam scanning systemBhiwani, January 6The Haryana Board of School
Education has decided to start innovative scanning system for the
annual examinations this year in order to check cases of impersonation
and other irregularities.

Vibrant colours this winterTHE winter chill has failed to dampen the spirits of the
youngsters who want to be in the fashion groove. Although fashion
statements are slightly subdued as compared to cities like Chandigarh
and Delhi, an effort is being made by the youth in Ambala to keep pace
with the changing fashion.

Veteran
CPM leader deadFatehabad, January 6Veteran CPM leader of the area
and founder president of the district unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Khet
Mazdoor Union Mohinder Singh Shekhupuria died last night after a
protracted illness. He was cremated at the local crematorium today.

Nephew
kills uncleSirsa, January 6
A man was killed in Dhani near Sikandarpur village in the district
today. It is suspected that the man was killed by his nephew, who
allegedly had illicit ties with his wife.

HVP to
hold Samast Haryana RallyRohtak, January 6The Haryana Vikas Party (HVP)
will organise a Samast Haryana Rally at Jind on February 29, the party
chief Mr Bansi Lal announced here today after a meeting of the state
executive of the party.

Danoda, (Jind), January 6
Indian National Youth Congress President Randeep Singh Surjewala today organised a ‘pagri bachao’ rally at the place of the Binain khap located in this dusty hamlet of the Narwana Assembly segment.

Mr Surjewala was presented with a pagri by the khap for the help he had extended to Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union chief Ghasi Ram Nain recently released on bail after remaining in jail for over a year in a sedition case registered against him after violent protests by farmers at Kandela village of this district.

Mr Nain himself could not attend the rally because of the conditions imposed on him by the court that granted him bail, but his son Mr Jagdish Nain was present on the stage set up on the chabutara of the khap.

The ground was covered with Congress flags, but heads of several Sarv Khap panchayats of the area were present. Mr Nafe Singh, president of the Binain Khap over which Mr Ghasi Ram Nain commands great influence, presented a pagri to Mr Randeep Surjewala. Khap treasurer Giani Ram presented him with a purse of Rs 51000 which the INYC chief in turn presented to the Haryana unit of the farmers and labour wing of the Congress.

The Youth Congress chief, lashed out at the Chief Minister who represents the Narwana constituency saying, he had challenged the self-respect of the people of the area. He said although it was the electorate of the Narwana constituency which made Mr Chautala the Chief Minister, all it had got in return were the bodies of nine farmers who were killed in police firing during protests by the farmers at Kandela village near here.

He said Mr Chautala had rewarded the constituency by jailing Mr Ghasi Ram Nain and 350 other farmers on charges of sedition.

He reminded the audience that after the government refused to pay compensation to the next of kin of the dead farmers, it was the Congress which provided these farmers with monetary relief.

Mr Surjewala said time had come to throw the Chautala government out adding that the Chief Minister had made tall promises to his voters from this very chabutara which were never fulfilled. He said the days were not far when the Haryana government would be run from this very chabutara after the next Assembly polls.

Mr Balram Jakhar said the freedom fighters made supreme sacrifices to free the country from the British and to make the farmers the king makers.

He said farmers could never be seditious as they were ones who fed the nation. He said the farming community in the country was passing through difficult times but things would change once the Congress came to power.

Chandigarh, January 5
The Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Assembly, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, said here today that tomorrow’s “Hisab Chukao” rally at Kurukshetra would be the launching pad for the party’s campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. The rally, being organised by former Haryana Youth Congress President, Nirmal Singh, would focus on the misdeeds of the Chautala Government.

Claiming that the Congress would win all 10 Lok Sabha seats from Haryana, Mr Hooda said in 1999, the BJP had used the Kargil war for political gains.

The electorate became emotional because a majority of the martyrs of the Kargil war belonged to Haryana. However, he said, now the people had seen through the game of the BJP and the INLD.

Mr Hooda said after remaining together for four years, the INLD and the BJP was blaming each other for the failures of the state government.

In reality, he said, both parties were guilty. Alleging widespread corruption, Mr Hooda termed the Chautala Government as a “Ghotala sarkar”.

Asserting that the Kurukshetra rally was being organised with the permission of the party high command, Mr Hooda could not say which Central leader would attend the rally.

He said since a meeting of the Congress Working Committee had been convened in Delhi tomorrow, he was not sure which leader would come to Kurukshetra.

Panipat, January 6
In spite of repeated warnings by the intelligence agencies to the state and Centre about the threats posed to the national security by the presence of the illegal immigrant Bangladeshis in the city, thousands of Bangladeshis continue to work illegally in handloom factories here.

The presence of illegal immigrants became evident with the arrest of ISI agents from Yamunanagar and Sonepat in the past two weeks. According to sources the intelligence agencies had been asked to increase surveillance in sensitive areas, including ones where the illegal immigrants are living.

As these Bangladeshi nationals resemble workers from West Bengal, it becomes difficult for the Intelligence agencies, including the IB and the CID, to identify them from the
others. They live in the handloom factories only and in most cases use fictitious names and addresses making identification all the more difficult.

Giving details of the security threat from the illegal immigrants, the sources said the city is considered to be sensitive due to its proximity to Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. Whenever the police of these two states increases surveillance, the illegal immigrants residing there usually shift to Panipat as it is considered to be a safe place.

Due to the presence of illegal immigrants the city is believed to be one of the main centres where anti-social elements are active.

Seven persons were killed in a bomb blast in a bus at the bus stand in 1997. Another bomb blast had took place in Muri Express in 1998 at Railway Station. In 1999 the police had detonated a bomb at Red light Chowk.

Sources in the police said recruiting Bangladeshis who are experts in handloom work has economic reasons also as Bangladeshi labour is cheap as compared to the Indian ones. Moreover, they do not have a trade union.

The situation has assumed serious proportions as all efforts of the police to stop illegal immigration had remained futile. With a view to flush out illegal immigrants the top brass of Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh, UP and Rajastan police had jointly launched a special operation —Talaash. The Noida police had arrested 95 illegal settlers.

While acting on the CID information on October 7, 2002, the Panipat police had arrested 21 illegal immigrants from a factory here during its “Operation
Talaash". Under this operation, the SHOs and DSPs concerned were asked to verify the records of thousands of handloom factories where these people were employed.

Jind/Safidon, January 6
The Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, has asked the district heads of all departments to check the functioning of rural schools regularly when they tour villages and to file a written report to the district administration accordingly.

He was addressing a meeting of the District Grievances Committee at Jind, this morning.

The Chief Minister has also announced to develop modern housing complexes in Safidon town.

He directed all district administrations to ensure 100 per cent attendance in all departments in remote rural areas.

He stressed the need to redress the grievances of the people living in remote rural areas so that they do not face problems.

He himself took a note of 13 complaints that were put up before the grievances committee and solved them on the spot.

On a complaint of Harikesh Kumar, a resident of Narwana, Mr Chautala directed the authorities concerned to suspend a former SDO of the electricity board immediately for negligence of duty and provide tubewell connection to the applicant immediately.

The applicant had deposited a sum of Rs 91,000 to the electricity board to get a tubewell connection. However, the official concerned had not approved his file.

Later, Mr Chautala visited 34 villages of Safidon subdivision and announced that the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) would develop modern housing complexes, divided into sectors in the town.

He said the government was considering such modern housing complexes even for villages to uplift the standard of living in the rural areas.

In Safidon, he asked the authorities concerned to resume the construction work on the drain that was pending for months due to paucity of funds.

More than Rs 15 lakh had been spent on the work and an additional sum of Rs 23 lakh were required to complete it.

Chandigarh, January 6
RPI legislator Karan Singh Dalal alleged here today that the Haryana Public Service Commission had committed several irregularities in the HCS(Executive) and allied services examinations, the result of which was announced last week.

Mr Dalal, who released copies of a letter written by him to the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, said he had urged the Chief Justice to treat his letter as public interest litigation.

In the letter Mr Dalal alleged that several rules and norms were violated by the commission during this examinations. He pointed out that the rule of inviting candidates 15 times the number of posts for the main examinations after the preliminary ones was violated as 1471 candidates were invited against 93 posts. Their roll numbers were also changed.

Mr Dalal alleged the result had not been declared categorywise. The physical examination of certain candidates was held twice.

The commission, he alleged, had not associated the Controller of Examinations with the process. He also alleged that the commission had selected candidates belonging to particular districts.

He also urged the Governor to intervene and order an inquiry in this regard. He said his writ petition challenging the selection to the HCS earlier was already pending in the High Court. If need be, he said he would again go to the court.

Chandigarh, January 6
The Ekta Shakti, a newly formed party which alleges that successive governments had discriminated against northern Haryana, would hold “summary trials” of corrupt politicians, if it came to power.

Mr Virender Verma Maratha, President of the Ekta Shakti, said if the country’s legal system came to the rescue of corrupt politicians, the people would take to the streets.

Criticising the three “Lals” of Haryana, Mr Maratha said they had discriminated against various regions of the state. However, he said, there was one difference. While southern Haryana was also exploited by these politicians, northern Haryana was both “exploited and milked of its resources”. The party would contest the next Assembly elections on the issues of power, water, development, corruption, discrimination against certain areas in recruitment and discrimination in development.

From next month the party would enter Rohtak district after consolidating its position in the districts of Karnal, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Yamunanagar and Ambala, which comprised northern Haryana. On March 14, the party would organise a state-level rally at Karnal.

Mr Maratha alleged that former Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal had used his ties for personal interests rather than for helping the Sikhs of Haryana. He advocated the need for a separate SGPC for Haryana.

Bhiwani, January 6
The Haryana Board of School Education has decided to start innovative scanning system for the annual examinations this year in order to check cases of impersonation and other irregularities.

Giving the details of the system, a spokesman of the board said that modern techniques of scanning would be used on the examination forms, certificates, roll number slips and the signature chart on which photographs of candidates would also be printed.

These techniques would help eradicate cases of impersonation during the examinations and the use of unfair means.

He said the scanning system would help reduce errors.

The signature of the candidates would also be printed on roll number slips and the signature chart to check impersonation.

THE winter chill has failed to dampen the spirits of the
youngsters who want to be in the fashion groove.

Although fashion
statements are slightly subdued as compared to cities like Chandigarh
and Delhi, an effort is being made by the youth in Ambala to keep pace
with the changing fashion.

The faded worn-out look, teamed with
vibrant colours, helps to brighten the foggy winter day. Stripes
happen to be the main feature in the women’s wear this
season.

College students are increasingly resorting to mix and match
combinations such as denim with woollens, neutrals with vivid colours
and leather with lycra.

While bright scarves are not in fashion,
smart woollen caps and mufflers are definitely in the winter wardrobe.
Blue is the flavour of the season among the youngsters.

According to
Ms Vandana Sehgal of the National Institute of Fashion Design, Ambala
Cantt hipsters and jeans are in. “Also, straight pants are in while
bell bottoms which made a comeback last year, have been kept out this
season,” she said.

Young women prefer to wear denim jackets with
salwar-kameez. “Knee-length jackets with huge collars and thick hip
belts add to the fashion statement. Shoes in leather and suede with
pointed heels are a good idea. Big dial watches for men and women add
to the impact,” she said.

She said vibrant and bright colours
depicting the mood of the youth always find favour among the college
students. Colours like fuschia, pink, lemon, lime green, mauve and
turquoise remain popular. “Soft, flowy fabric like georgette, crepe,
chiffon and silk is a fashion statement,” she said.

Ms Sehgal said
unisex shoes like Mules are popular this winter. “Mules are slip on
shoes with block heels and square toe.

In formal wear, fish-cut
lehengas with sequins and antique gold work are the hot favourites
while flairs are no more in vogue. TNS

Chandigarh, January 6
Mr Ashok Aggarwal, a senior advocate of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, will succeed Mr Suryakanta Sharma as the Advocate-General (AG) of Haryana. The official proposal for the appointment of Mr Aggarwal as the AG was cleared by Raj Bhavan yesterday.

Official sources said the notification appointing Mr Aggarwal as the AG would be issued after his predecessor was sworn in as a High Court Judge. Mr Aggarwal (51), hails from Kaithal and has studied law at Panjab University, Chandigarh.

Mr Sharma described his stint as the Haryana AG as “extremely fulfilling”. “I was lucky enough to get the support of a great team of professionals at the AG’s office”, he said.

Bhiwani, January 6
To keep vigil over the examination centres, the Haryana School Education Board will set up five control rooms in the state during the middle, matriculation and senior secondary annual examinations, 2004.

Stating this today, a spokesman for the board said the control rooms would be equipped with the telephone and fax facilities. The officers of the board deputed at these control rooms would decide the examination centres these flying squads would visit in the districts. A special task force would also be operated from these control rooms for prompt inspection of centres.

He said reports of conduct of the examinations would be sent daily from these control rooms to the board headquarters at Bhiwani so that the examinations could be monitored properly and in case of any emergency, the board could take immediate action.

Bhiwani, January 6
The Haryana Board of School Education has decided to start innovative scanning system for the annual examinations this year in order to check cases of impersonation and other irregularities.

Giving the details of the system, a spokesman of the board said that modern techniques of scanning would be used on the examination forms, certificates, roll number slips and the signature chart on which photographs of candidates would also be printed.

These techniques would help eradicate cases of impersonation during the examinations and the use of unfair means.

He said the scanning system would help reduce errors.

The signature of the candidates would also be printed on roll number slips and the signature chart to check impersonation.

Fatehabad, January 6
Veteran CPM leader of the area and founder president of the district unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Khet Mazdoor Union Mohinder Singh Shekhupuria died last night after a protracted illness. He was cremated at the local crematorium today.

Mr Inderjit Singh, state secretary of the CPM, Mr Surender Malik, member of the state secretariat of the party, Mr Ram Kumar Bahbalpuria, president of the state unit of the Khet Mazdoor Union, Mr Poonam Chand Ratti, president of the Sarva Karamchari Sangh, Haryana, Mr Devi Lal, a former president of the District Bar Association, Fatehabad, and several intellectuals, trade union leaders and CPM activists attended the funeral procession.

A condolence meeting would be held on January 12 at the local Ambedkar park, a press note issued by the party said.

Sirsa, January 6
A man was killed in Dhani near Sikandarpur village in the district today. It is suspected that the man was killed by his nephew, who allegedly had illicit ties with his wife.

According to information Makkhan Singh, a resident of Dhani near village Sikandarpur, had turned out of his house, his nephew Puran Singh whom he suspected of having ties with his wife.

According to a complaint lodged by the brother of the deceased, Makkhan Singh and Puran went to the fields last night. When they didn’t return till late in the night, Makkhan Singh’s brothers Kashmir and Charanjeet Singh went to look for him.

They found his body in a pool of blood. It carried marks of injuries from a sharp-edged weapon on the neck. On their complaint the police has registered a case under Section 302, IPC.

Rohtak, January 6
The Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) will organise a Samast Haryana Rally at Jind on February 29, the party chief Mr Bansi Lal announced here today after a meeting of the state executive of the party.

Addressing mediapersons after the meeting, Mr Bansi Lal said his son, Mr Surinder Singh, who is also the secretary-general of the party, would tour the entire state to mobilise the masses for the rally.

Mr Bansi Lal said Haryana was on the verge of anarchy as criminals were ruling the roost and the life and property of the common man was not safe.

Chandigarh, January 6
The Haryana Government has placed the services of Ms Anita Chaudhary, IAS, at the disposal of the Union Government for appointment as a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution, New Delhi.

Ms Umesh Nanda, OSD, Land Use Board, has been posted as the Commissioner and Secretary, Institutional Finance and Credit Control, vice Ms Anita Chaudhary. Mr Pius Pandarwani, awaiting posting, has been posted as OSD, Land Use Board.

Sonepat, January 6
BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Home I.D. Swami told reporters here yesterday that “BJP workers are not satisfied with the style of functioning of Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala and they are pressing party High Command to disassociate with the INLD and contest Assembly elections independently.”

Mr Swami said the party high command was considering “this question” and would take a decision before the next Lok Sabha elections.
— PTI

Karnal, January 6
Panic gripped the town when a young girl was abducted from Sector 8 by three car-borne youths in broad daylight today.

The girl, aged 20, a resident of Arainpura village in the district, was on her way to meet her uncle when a car stopped beside her and three youths dragged her forcibly into the car despite her raising an alarm and sped away.

The police on the basis of eyewitness account has alerted the entry points by flashing the registration number of the car.
— UNI

Ambala, January
6
The Deputy Commissioner, Mr D.D. Gautam, today appealed to people
to donate liberally to the Red Cross Society so that woollens and
blankets could be given to the needy.

Mr Gautam said the district
administration and District Red Cross Society was helping out the
needy during winter by providing them woollens and blankets. He said
donations could be made to the District Red Cross Society either by
cheque or cash. TNS